saucy

In all honesty, I've not felt terribly inspired in the kitchen recently. Is it noticeable? The light is fading so much earlier these days, the night is quickly turning from chilly to cold and everything seems to slow down with these changes. Shifting into colder days, my energy has begun to ebb with the sunlight as I adjust to the rythym of late autumn and onset of winter. No bad thing - just a temporary lull.
And in these still evenings, tucking under a quilt on the sofa has become quite appealing. As have homey, simple things (simple is the key) like slow-cooked soups and simmering applesauce.
A strong cup of chamomile tea, a drizzle of honey and a few straggling apples don't ask for much from the cook.
No recipe to follow - just a little peeling and chopping and then off to the pot to perfume the house and simmer into a sauce.
Plenty of time to curl on the couch...

something satisfying

There is something satisfying in making gnocchi (or gnuddi). In the kneading and rolling and shaping there is a rhythm - a space for thoughts, meditations.

And then in the finished little pillows, such satisfaction.

Oh, and they're pretty tasty too...

Gourmet magazine's Sweet Potato Gnocci with Fried Sage and Shaved Chestnuts*

As you may have heard, Gourmet Magazine will no longer be in print after the November issue. While I will be quite sad not to have these gorgeous issues greet me each month, the current website states that their archive of recipes will remain available through their sister site epicurious.com.

*A few notes: I found I only used 1 1/2 cups of flour total (including dusting the board) and I used chopped, toasted walnuts in place of the chestnuts as that is what was on hand and the results were quite good.

leaves and roots

Several blustery days have rustled the trees and stirred the scent of fallen leaves. There is a damp sweetness about that smells like autumn and there nearly was a frost on the ground this morning. Today I'm inspired to sip tea from ceramic mug, click wooden knitting needles through a soft wool, and really not do much else...

Except, perhaps, a little shuffling in the kitchen:
Peeling and slicing and smelling a few earthy root vegetables - a perfectly autumnal task for such days.
Layering them (River Cottage style) in a dish with cream, garlic and chilies to be baked into a gratin.
Then savored with a handful of arugula tossed with lemon juice and olive oil.

Nothing fancy, but everything inspired.